What if we're caught
by Millzazilla
Summary: The party have stopped their trek through pulse at a familiar village, time for Fang to relive a forgotten memory. ONESHOT, unless I feel like writing more.


**What if we're caught?**

Since the day Fang had burst from that crystal prison, her world had shattered open. Her clothes, once high fashion now bore a certain retro/ ancient feel to them. Her tribe, her family had died out. She was 521 years old. She had been marked a second time in one life, to protect the pulse Fal'Cie. That bastard, she was a celebrated warrior in her time, she had been offered to the Fal'Cie the first time, and it was an honour until she realized her fate, to serve until she was crystallized or turned into a monster.

She kicked the dust beneath her feet, causing a high pitched 'Hm?' from her partner, Vanille. The pinkette skipped back to Fang from her place amongst the flowers. "Fang?"

"I'm fine Vanille" She spoke defeated and slumped back on a fallen tree, Gran Pulse was still as amazing as ever, but she wasn't home. Her home was dead and buried. The sharp calls from various flying carnivores filled her ears, the stomps of the walking behemoths vibrated Gran Pulse to a rhythm. Gran Pulse was still pulsing with life, yet Fang had taken one step into the familiar village and it had drained her. Her mind wandered to days where she would wrestle with the other children, her father would watch proudly, "Be gentle with them" He used to say, his voice deep, his hair longer than her own hung in a neat ponytail against his bare back.

"Fang, we're home" Vanille tried to reassure her friend. "Please cheer up?"

"This isn't home Vanille, this is what's left of our Tribes." She gestured to the sandy windswept 'village' infested with monsters and drooling beasts. The dust filled her nostrils, it was stale and sharp. She stood and walked away from Vanille. Vanille went back to the flowers, making sure to keep an eye on where Fang was walking, behind her Lightning had returned from her routing scouting mission with furs, meat and fruit for them all.

Walking toward a hut on the far side of the clearing Fang felt the familiar stab of guilt. The hut stood on its own it was an off grey colour with chunks missing from the sandstorms wearing it away. Its roof was made of giant leaves and feathers to let the water run off of it, a small, weak tree hung over it swaying even without the wind. Another sigh breezed its way across Fangs parched lips. Her fingers reached out for the door, she touched it once then turned away snatching her hand back. She couldn't do it. She couldn't look at what she so willingly left to die. Her eyes clamped shut and she stood in front of the bark door, she wanted to scream, grab her staff and run back into the plains. Her hand twitched, when a smaller fragile one grasped it and placed it on the door. "We can do this, together." Vanille had edged them both through the door. Fang dared a peek, the three fur beds near the long dead fire, she gulped when she thought the word death in her mind. Vanille let go and giggled happily. "Fang, look at all of your things, the head of your first behemoth, your fur bed that you caught and skinned yourself."

"Yeah" She mumbled, while shuffling over to the doorway to their food store. She opened the roof hatch and light swarmed the darkness, illuminating Fangs belongings. The food had long since rotted and been eaten, but the shelves of arrows, knives, teeth and other such trophies remained. She placed her hand on the top shelf and looked down at her feet, "How could I of left them here to die so willingly, How could they let me go so easily?" An arm coiled round her waist, she opened her eyes to see Vanille's hand brandishing something, it was a ring made from a hollowed out fang.

"My ring, do you remember now?" Vanille's voice shook her into a memory...

"Everyone, down." Fangs voice was quiet and raspy. "The Alpha is here, do we have antidotes for the poison?" She stared back at the hunting party, 4 others in total. One nodded and flashed his belt of 6 antidotes. "Good" Her hand gripped her bow and she shook with excitement. Round the next sharp turn, the deep breathing of the Alpha male could just be heard. It had run scared after its pack was slaughtered. Fang had immediately given chase, this was her test. She had led the party through the vast plains past gentle giants and ravenous beasts alike until finally they had it cornered.

Its pacing feet bought a sick smile to Fangs face, 2 hunters climbed the rock face to get above their prey while the others set up antidotes and an escape route. Dust floated around their ankles, the storm would be there in 2 hours, that's all they had to kill the beast and drag it back to the Village. Fang took a deep breath, the crisp air invigorated her. She held her fist in the air and heard a bellowing roar that sent dust cascading of the cliff-tops and streaming from behind the bend. Soon, stomping and her allies yelling signalled her to move she darted round the corner, her bow string pulled tight. She couldn't she. Her eyes closed and she focused on the sounds. She fired her sharpest arrow into the beast, its scream of pain was unlike anything she had heard before. Dropping her bow and grabbing the woven vine that was attached to it she wrapped it around her and felt her way toward the screams. Her hand met the fur of the beast, her eyes squinted open and she was met with a fierce yellow one glaring back at her. She gripped the fur as the beast burst from its hiding spot, Fang clinging to its mane. Her feet touching the ground every so often as she tried to kick up onto its back. The path was narrowing ahead, the animal grunting with satisfaction of getting to kill its hunter. She desperately kicked of the ground again and again, until she was up in the air, landing on its back. "You'll be the biggest carnivore I ever took down..." She reached for her bone knife in her belt. They were in the narrow path of the cliffs now, running top speed changing direction at the blink of an eye. Her allies would be waiting at the end to net it and kill it. But Fang plunged the knife into the top of its head. Blood spraying over her face and robes. It carried on running, not slowing down until the blood loss caused it to fatigue and it tumbled head over heels out of the path into the net already dead.

"FANG?!" Tolby yelled, "FANG! WHERE ARE YOU?!" He yelled down the tunnel only for the tunnel to answer him in his own voice.

"Down here you Chocobo brained fool" She was clawing herself out of from under the body, a fang embedded in her leg the tip almost protruding the other side. The huntsmen dragged her out and removed the fang, then carefully wrapped a bandage around her leg. She stood confidently and proudly retrieved her knife. "So how to get this thing home?"

"Chocobo power" Tolby gestured to the heard of grazing yellow birds

The tied the body to a improvised cart that slid along the ground and attached it to 6 of the 8 Chocobo's. Fang rode in the back with her kill, making sure it was dead and wouldn't fall out. Tolby and Genik rode the 2 free Chocobo's to heard the others. The other hunters jumped on a harnessed bird. They were behind schedule, the storms hot winds had already stared rushing past their faces.

Back at the village, a 19 year old was pacing the entrance to the village. "Vanille! HEY!" A young boy with blonde hair tugged her arm. "Are they back yet?!" He spoke out of breath.

"Not yet young one" She smiled and held his hand in hers whilst she knelt to his level. "But, Obera Yun Fang told me she will bring back a feast" The last to words she spoke imitating Fang.

"Cool, can we play hunters?" He jumped up "I will be Genik the antidote master, I will heal you"

The other children came rushing out.

"I will play Tolby, the biggest of all the hunters!" A large boy said as he patted his chest with his fist proudly, as Tolby does.

"Vanille, you can play Obera Yun Fang!" The blonde haired boy said, after a chorus of agreement from the other children, they all stalked off around the village hunting invisible behemoths and shooting down imaginary wild birds for their 'supper'. Their joyous giggles where heard around the village, until a blast of hot wind screamed through the village.

"No.." Vanille whispered whilst ushering the children back into their huts, she stayed at the entrance pacing, with each blast of hot air she felt her hear sink. She looked at the sun, through the thickening red mist. It had been half an hour, judging by its position in the sky. She made some quick calculations on her fingers. Fang would have had to kill the beast in 20 minutes to be able to drag it back, but that's minus the problem of other beasts and fatigue. She paced some more shielding her eyes from the sand, gazing through the opening to the village. "Vanille. You need to get inside!" Her father tugged her arm.

"No! I promised I'd wait for her! She asked me personally!" She turned her red bloodshot eyes crying from the sharp sand and the thought of losing her friend. She was being dragged off, when her ears picked up the faintest noises. It grew louder and she fought out of her fathers grip, running back to her place. She closed her eyes and concentrated as Fang had taught her. Her eyes snapped open when she heard the taller woman's victory call, her raspy voice bouncing off the walls in the village. "Their back!" Vanille yelled, the village elders signalled for the great gateway to start shutting. "WAIT THERE NOT IN YET!" She pleaded, only to be met with a man smiling at her side with his eyes closed. "They are on Chocobo's, they will make it" It was Obera Yun Hawk, Fangs father. His hair as neat as ever even in the wind.

"Come on, their shutting the gate!" Fang yelled holding the leaves covering their kill.

"Go you darn yellow chickens!" Genik ran next to the leader, yelling and whooping at it. They were running flat out as the birds ran into the village, the cart was wider and it hit the side detaching itself from them, yet managing to scrape into the village with Fang bracing herself. With a great boom the village was sealed from the storm by a giant rock. The villagers welcomed them home with great cheers and embraces. Vanille looked up at Fang in awe as she mingled through the crowd towards her. "AND NOW.." She bellowed, pausing for effect. "OUR FEAST" She whipped off the leaves and everyone gasped, children ran up to touch warm fur of the beast. Tolby jumped down next to them and bent down and began telling them the wild tale of 'Fangs biggest victory!' the village food processors began unloading the beast dragging it toward the fire, that was now being made a lot bigger. Vanille looked down, Fang hadn't even noticed her.

"Hey, Pinky" That voice, Vanille turned and was met with fang limping toward her.

"YOUR HURT! I'll go get some healing supplies, wait here." She gasped but before she could leave Fang grabbed her and pulled her into an embrace. "I have something for you, Vanille."

Vanille bowed and spoke with a giggly blush. "Obera Yun Fang, you didn't have to"

"Call me Fang, Pinky" Fang giggled and slumped to the floor. "About them healing supplies, maybe that's wise" She smiled again causing Vanille to trip as she turned to run off.

She was back and undoing the bandage before Fang had a chance to lay down. The village had gathered to watch as the young healer worked on their treasured champion. "This may sting, Fang" She spoke the name, it rolled of her tongue so elegantly, Fang blushed at hearing it. She applied antidote to the wound whilst holding Fangs hand innocently. Fang winced and put her head to the side. Vanille began stitching the open wound, the bone needle freshly sharpened went through with ease.

Eventually after a half an hour nap, Fang was sat near the fire, with the village gathered around staring at the newest war wound wanting to hear the true tale of her victory, not Tolby's exaggerated 3 behemoth headed dragon version. Vanille nodded to herself and began sinking into the background again until Genik joined the circle picking Vanille up. "The villages greatest healer! Three cheers!" Everyone cheered and Vanille giggled while the children clapped beneath her. Genik placed her down next to Fang while the villagers sat and laughed. "Vanille, I got this for you" The older woman turned and slid a hollowed fang over the girls finger. The poison gland was gone, but the green stain remained near the tip. "That was the one that got me, I wanted you to have it. 6Since your the one that got me as well" She chuckled and took Vanille's hand and leant in to kiss her while everyone was busy dancing and playing music.

"What if we're caught Fang?" She whispered so no-one would hear.

"I have been caught in the jaws of a poison fanged drooling beast under said drooling beast, caught in a sandstorm, caught between to giant rocks so being caught kissing the one I love is the highlight of today's hunt, and it really will be my greatest victory" With that said the two indulged in a soft kiss in front of the warm fire, the stars twinkling above their heads, even the beasts were silent.


End file.
